Excavation is performed by workers in the construction field who use heavy machinery to move earth. This trade involves demolishing old buildings, creating new ones or tackling projects involving installation of driveways, landscaped yards or graded property. Learn more about the terms frequently used in this industry.

Contractor – This person specializes in an aspect of excavation helping to oversee and complete a job. The experts usually have a specific skill such as landscaping, electricals or underground drilling.

Demolition – Demolition is the process by which old or unsafe buildings are destroyed. One must make sure all wiring connections, utilities and water outlets are shut down before destroying the structure to prevent electrical fire or flooding. Explosives break up the concrete structure causing its collapse.

Excavate – Excavation is a process in which earth is moved to make way for something. Specialists use heavy equipment to move the dirt from one area to another when digging holes, leveling surfaces or creating drainage trenches. Excavated areas may be created to install concrete footings for new constructions.

Grading – Grading is a process in which skilled contractors oversee workers as they push dirt around using bulldozers to level the surface for paving or drainage. Grading involves dozing the soil until you have a surface that is sloped just enough for water to drain from a road of foundation.

A company which excavates earth does so to ready it for a building or other form of practical use. Contractors hired to excavate a parcel of land might variously be hired to clear the surface or subterranean area of a property. The excavation industry can involve a varied number of equipment items and procedures. Additionally, professionals in this field may work hand-in-hand with construction, demolition, electrical installation, or landscape companies.
The specific practices to be used when contractors excavate some land can vary according to the particular client. For example, excavation contractors might assist with the demolition of buildings no longer required or sufficient for use. On the other hand, excavation can also be ordered to prepare properties for construction for the first time.
Excavation in this second form often involves moving heavy quantities of earth so that a new foundational structure or material like concrete can be installed. Grading dirt in former mining areas can also determine the necessity of hiring contractors. Accordingly, this industry typically involves such machinery as dozers, crawlers and backhoes. Contractors could thus carry out dozing of the relevant area. They might also be tasked with drilling into underground layers of earth. After clearing out trenches, other professionals can place electrical utilities as required. Excavators could also prepare roads for paving and the laying of concrete.
In short, the excavation industry plays an integral role in land use. From transporting earth to readying construction projects, contractors can serve a number of useful functions and roles.